Hitman lines up Wembley date with De La Hoya

Ricky Hatton's reward for shattering the unbeaten record of Floyd Mayweather would be a triumphant Wembley homecoming against Oscar De La Hoya. Hatton's lawyer, Gareth Williams, has confirmed that talks are already at an advanced stage for the fight. The news will provide another massive incentive for Hatton, who is desperate to fight back in Britain as a reward to thousands of supporters who have once again followed him across the Atlantic.

"The chances are very strong," said Williams. "We have strong links with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions and we have had discussions with them about fighting Oscar at Wembley. It would be the perfect venue and we could look at selling in excess of 80,000 tickets."

De La Hoya confirmed he was keen. "I want to fight the biggest fight and it would be an honour to go to Hatton's capital city and fight him there in front of 80,000 supporters," he said. "These are the kinds of fights that people want and it could happen."

De La Hoya has been a regular in Hatton's gym this week to help him put finishing touches to his gameplan for Mayweather. Having dropped a narrow split decision to Mayweather this year, there could hardly be anyone better than De La Hoya to present Hatton with a blueprint for victory.

Hatton has studied tapes of De La Hoya's performance and is confident that he can succeed where the American just failed. "Mayweather wants you to throw combinations so you miss a lot and get tired," he said. "Oscar has told me that he believes he would have won the fight if he could have done in the last six rounds what he did in the first six."